“The Bachelor” leader Matt James has broken his silence on the escalating controversy surrounding the show as longtime host Chris Harrison comes under fire in a recent interview for perpetuating racism.
James, the first black star of ‘The Bachelor’, not only exclaims Harrison for his ‘disturbing and painful’ words, but also holds the overall franchise responsible for dealing with diversity and race over the past two decades. -sky.
“The past few weeks have been some of the most challenging of my life, and while there are several episodes of the season left, it’s important that I take the time to uncover the troubling information that has come to light since we’ve wrapped up the filming, ”James wrote on his Instagram on Monday, hours before a new episode of“ The Bachelor ”airs on ABC.
Controversy first erupted earlier this year when former photos of contestant Rachael Kirkconnell – a current frontrunner, who is still in the running for James’ season – hit social media and her presence at antebellum-themed fraternity formally in 2018. Kirkconnell was also accused on TikTok of racially insensitive behavior, including liking photos with the Confederate flag.
Harrison then went to the entertainment news show “Extra” to sit down with the former “Bachelorette” and correspondent, Rachel Lindsay, who asked Harrison about the Kirkconnell controversy. During the long discussion with Lindsay, Harrison did everything he could to seemingly defend Kirkconnell, which resulted in widespread criticism and led to Harrison apologizing for “speaking in a way that perpetuates racism.”
Shortly thereafter, Harrison announced that he would be leaving the franchise for an unspecified period, including not appearing in “After the Final Rose,” which will serve as the final episode of James’ season.
In his statement on Monday, James addressed both Harrison and the “incredibly disappointing” photos of Kirkconnell, in addition to the franchise as a whole, which he says “fell short” when it comes to dealing with diversity and race.
“The reality is that I learn about these situations in real time, and it was devastating and heartbreaking to put it bluntly,” James wrote.
“Chris’s failure to receive and understand the emotional work my friend Rachel Lindsay took on by graciously and patiently explaining the racist history of the Antebellum South, a painful history that every American should properly understand was disturbing. and painful to watch, ”James continued. “As black people and allies immediately knew and understood, it was a clear reflection of a much bigger problem that ‘The Bachelor’ franchise has not sufficiently addressed for years.”
“This moment has sparked critical discussion and reporting, raised important questions and resulted in inspiring expressions of solidarity from The Bachelor nation,” continued James. “It has also prompted me to re-evaluate and process what my experience on ‘The Bachelor’ represents, not just for me, but for all participants of color, especially the black participants this season and the past seasons, and for you, the viewers at home. “
James concluded his heartfelt statement by writing, “I will continue to process this experience and eventually you will hear more from me. My greatest prayer is that this is a tipping point that results in real and institutional change for the better. “
James had previously talked about Kirkconnell’s social media photos, but his initial comments were made before Harrison’s controversial interview and before more information about Kirkconnell came to light – the contestant had not yet spoken about the authenticity of the photos.
“I haven’t spoken to anyone since the show ended, but I would say you have to be very careful about what you do on social media,” James said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight in early February when asked about the allegations. Rumors are dark and nasty and can ruin people’s lives. So I would give people the benefit of the doubt, and hopefully she has time to talk about that. “
As James wrote on his social media on Monday, he’s been discovering new information with the viewers at home in the time since the filming of his wrapped season.
Shortly after Harrison’s ‘Extra’ interview with Lindsay, Kirkconnell came forward with her own statement of apology. “While there are rumors, there are also truths that I need to address. I hear you, and I’m here to say I was wrong, ” Kirkconnell wrote in part. “At one point I didn’t recognize how insulting and racist my actions were, but that’s no excuse for them … I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist.”
As the controversy continued to escalate, many contestants of “The Bachelor” have banded together to speak out against the franchise’s racing issues, including 25 women from the season of James, which had the most diverse cast to date.
“We’re the women of ‘Bachelor’ season 25,” the women posted earlier this month. Twenty-five women who identify as BIPOC were cast in this historic season that was meant to represent change. We are deeply disappointed and want to make it clear that we denounce any defense of racism. Any defense of racist behavior denies the lived and ongoing experiences of BIPOC individuals. These experiences should not be exploited or tokenized. “
ABC has not released a statement regarding the controversy at this time. Variety has reached out to the network for comment regarding James’s post.